Crop Mixed Bag: Soybeans are all over the board, cotton is “looking like cotton again,” agronomists say

As the season rolls on, agronomists are keeping a close eye on conditions.

While corn has been holding steady for most of the season, soybeans are telling a different story.

So the soybeans, they’re truly a mixed bag, because you may be one guy who planted early May and has a beautiful crop. Being the guy who planted a week later had a hard time getting a stand. It was beat down. Just very, very variable right now,” said Bayer Technical Agronomist Zach Webb.

On the cotton side, the outlook remains tough. Webb says growers have struggled from start to finish.

“The guys who planted late April have got a phenomenal crop right now. It looks beautiful. But May, as you may remember, was very wet, and wet and cotton planting do not go together. So we got off to a rough start with cotton. But we’ve had a lot of heat, which cotton loves. We’ve had ample moisture, and I’m telling folks now cotton is starting to look like cotton again.”

Despite current conditions, Webb says the cotton crop is starting to make a turnaround. USDA’s latest acreage estimates show U.S. growers planted around 10.1 million acres of cotton this year, which is down 10 percent from 2024.

Related Stories
Global soybean competition is moving deeper into crush capacity, logistics, and value-added product control.
RealAg Radio’s Shaun Haney and other experts break down ongoing energy market volatility, its impact on producer decision-making, and key indicators farmers should monitor moving forward.
Cotton margins improved slightly, even as fertilizer and fuel costs rose due to the Strait of Hormuz disruption linked to the Iran war.
U.S. export inspections turned in another strong corn week.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Jeramy Stephens with National Land Realty joined us to share guidance on preventing land fraud, identifying scams, and protecting farm and rural property owners.
Low snowpack and rapid melt are heightening irrigation concerns across the West as farmers face falling reservoir levels and strained water supplies.
Brooke Rollins meets with Pennsylvania farmers as pressure mounts on the Senate to advance the Farm Bill and additional aid for producers.
Despite tighter supplies, U.S. wheat exports continue trending higher as international buyers seek consistent quality and reliable service.
England Cattle Co. in Mercedes, Texas, is coming off a highly successful production sale.
Cattle producers met with lawmakers to discuss the issues continuing to impact ranchers across the country.
Agriculture Shows
Hosted by Scott “The Cow Guy” Shellady and RFD News Markets Specialist Tony St. James, Commodity Talk delivers expert insight into the day’s ag commodity markets just before the CME opens. Only on RFD-TV and Rural Radio SiriusXM Channel 147.
A look at the news, weather and commodities headlines that drove agriculture markets in the past week.
Everything profits from prairie. Soil, air, water — and all kinds of life! Learn how you can improve your land with prairie restoration, cover crops and prairie strips, while growing your bottom line.
From soil to harvest. Top Crop is an all-new series about four of the best farmers in the world—Dan Luepkes, of Oregan, Illinois; Cory Atley, of Cedarville, Ohio; Shelby Fite, of Jackson Center, Ohio; Russell Hedrick, of Hickory, North Carolina—reveals what it takes for them to make a profitable crop. It all starts with good soil, patience, and a strong planter setup.